Response To Intervention: Its Effect on Leadership and the Relationship Between Regular Education and Special Education

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Educational Administration

Date of Award

Fall 2014

Abstract

This study examined the effect of Response to Intervention (RTI) on the relationship between special education and regular education and the accompanying changes in the demands on educational leadership. This study concentrated on RTI at the secondary level as current research indicates little study has been conducted on the subject at this level. The purpose of this study was to determine the critical issues in the successful implementation and maintenance of RTI based school wide improvement efforts. Response to Intervention (RTI) began as a method to identify at-risk students in need of special education services. RTI has fast become the means through which all students receive the instructional remedies necessary to help ensure their success. The process of providing those remedies dictated the need for increased collaboration between special education and regular education teachers in order to apply the expertise of special education to all students. Leadership collaboration and integration of leadership knowledge and responsibilities between special and regular education must follow as well. The changing demands on educational leadership resulting from the widespread implementation of RTI were investigated. Of particular interest was the contribution to the collaboration between special education and general education resulting from this broad scale implementation of RTI. It was the subsequent impact on educational leadership resulting from the increased collaboration between the two fields of education as they become unified that motivated the research. A primarily quantitative research design using survey methods, descriptive statistical techniques, and open-ended responses was employed. A researcher-generated survey based on extensive research of literature was used to obtain data. The survey consisted of 38 Likert-scale questions with a demographic section and four open-ended response questions. The research was concentrated on secondary schools in a single district in Region 10, one of 20 educational service areas in the Texas education system. Secondary schools were chosen due to the limited RTI research at the secondary level available as of 2012. The results and conclusions resulting from this study are intended to add to the body of knowledge on RTI assisting educators in meeting the needs of all students while maintaining high expectations

Advisor

William C. Holt

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Leadership | Secondary Education

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